How to make the best sauce for cucumber salad

The key to making a delicious cold cucumber sauce lies in a balanced combination of sour, sweet, salty, and fresh flavors. Common seasonings include light soy sauce, vinegar, minced garlic, sesame oil, and white sugar.

1. Soy sauce

Soy sauce is the basic seasoning for cold cucumber salad, which can provide a salty and savory taste for the sauce. Choosing brewed soy sauce has a richer taste, and the amount should not be too much to avoid excessive saltiness. The recommended ratio of light soy sauce to vinegar is between 1:1 and 1:2, and can be adjusted by adding a small amount before tasting. refrigerated soy sauce can better stimulate the refreshing feeling of cucumbers.

2. Vinegar

Vinegar can give cold cucumber an appetizing sour taste, and can be used with rice vinegar or aged vinegar. Vinegar has a high acidity, it is recommended to mix it with a small amount of white sugar to reduce irritation. If you like the fruity flavor, you can replace it with apple cider vinegar by adding half a teaspoon. The sour taste of vinegar can help cucumbers maintain their crispy and tender texture.

Thirdly, minced garlic

Fresh minced garlic is the soul ingredient of cold cucumber salad, and it is recommended to mash garlic paste freshly to enhance its flavor. The amount of minced garlic can be adjusted according to personal preference, usually 2-3 cloves are sufficient. Stir fry minced garlic with hot oil until fragrant, then mix in to reduce the spiciness and preserve the garlic aroma. People who are sensitive to garlic flavor can reduce the dosage or replace it with minced scallions.

4. Sesame oil

Sesame oil can enhance the overall aroma of cucumber salad. It is recommended to use pure sesame oil. Add 3-5 drops to avoid greasiness, stir thoroughly with seasoning until emulsified. If you like spicy flavor, you can replace it with chili oil, but the amount needs to be controlled. Refrigerated sesame oil can form a crystal clear juice effect.

5. White Sugar

White sugar can neutralize the sharp taste of seasonings, making the sauce smoother. Suggest melting with a small amount of hot water before mixing, using about half a teaspoon. Sweethearts can switch to honey, but they need to reduce other liquid seasonings. Sugar can help cucumber extract an appropriate amount of juice, forming a natural sauce.

When making, first mix all the spices in a small bowl, adjust the taste to sour and sweet taste, and then pour them on the cucumber. Freshly mixed and eaten can maintain the best taste, and if marinated in advance, the time should be controlled within 10 minutes. Adjust flexibly according to seasonal changes. In summer, add a little mustard oil to refresh yourself, and in winter, add a small amount of ginger powder to warm your stomach. Choose fresh, crispy, and tender cucumbers, cut them into pieces, and marinate them with salt to remove excess water, which can make the sauce more flavorful. Pay attention to the order of adding seasonings. It is recommended to first add solid seasonings and then gradually add liquid seasonings to control the thickness. Pairing with fried peanuts or roasted sesame seeds can increase layering, but it is necessary to control the intake of oil.